Research In Motion today announced BlackBerry® Mobile Voice System (BlackBerry MVS) Server for Cisco® Unified Communications Manager – an enhanced version of BlackBerry MVS that is optimized for use with Cisco Unified Communications Manager version 6.1 or later.
BlackBerry MVS, through integration with Cisco Unified Communications Manager, supports a rich set of BlackBerry smartphone features, including:
- One “reach me anywhere” corporate phone number, one caller ID and one voice mailbox for both a Cisco Unified IP phone and BlackBerry smartphone
- Simultaneous or sequential ringing of up to four devices, including BlackBerry smartphones and Cisco Unified IP Phones
- Easy access to Cisco Unified Communications Manager telephony services such as call transfer and extension dialing via a seamless, intuitive user experience on BlackBerry smartphones
- Flexibility to make calls from either the BlackBerry phone number or enterprise line
- Ability to transition an in-session call from a BlackBerry smartphone to the user’s Cisco Unified IP Phone
BlackBerry MVS Server for Cisco Unified Communications Manager can make employees more accessible and productive by phone both in and out of the office and empower organizations to manage and control corporate voice services on BlackBerry smartphones.
The enhanced solution, developed by RIM as part of Cisco’s Technology Developer Program, features deeper integration with BlackBerry® Enterprise Server and direct SIP integration between Cisco Unified Communications Manager and BlackBerry MVS for improved manageability, scalability and ease of deployment.
With BlackBerry MVS Server for Cisco Unified Communications Manager, the BlackBerry MVS Server automatically directs all outbound calls from BlackBerry smartphones through the BlackBerry Enterprise Server and Cisco Unified Communications Manager for added security, management and control of voice services on BlackBerry smartphones, including:
- BlackBerry smartphone authentication: Ensures that only authorized users are accessing Cisco Unified Communications Manager to make calls.
- Flexibility in IT policies and controls for fixed and mobile voice services: The capabilities of MVS are governed by IT policies. Policies and controls can be applied to individuals or groups of users to prevent incoming or outgoing international or long-distance calling, 411 calls, or calls based on specified area codes to control usage costs. These policies can be the same as those applied to calls made from the desktop, or different, as dictated by business and IT needs.
- Call logging: IT administrators can set policies that require all inbound and outbound calls to be logged for auditing or to meet regulatory requirements.
- Least cost call routing: Enables IT administrators to route MVS-based calls via the existing Cisco network which can help minimize long distance calling charges.
- Centralized management with BlackBerry Enterprise Server includes the ability for IT administrators to set up and support BlackBerry MVS services for smartphone users and manage voice activities from a central console.
- Turn phone numbers into corporate assets: Companies can assign enterprise phone numbers to BlackBerry smartphones. When a person leaves the company, the phone number is reassigned to the replacement. For example, in the case of a sales representative, customers are still calling the company, not the sales representative’s personal cellular number.
“We are extending Cisco Unified Communications Manager to BlackBerry smartphones to satisfy the demands of an increasingly mobile workforce,” said Alan Panezic, vice president, Platform Product Management at RIM.
“Deep integration between BlackBerry MVS, BlackBerry Enterprise Server and Cisco unified communications will provide mobile workers with a complete mobile office with secure email, applications and enterprise voice capabilities on their BlackBerry smartphones.”
“BlackBerry Mobile Voice System and Cisco Unified Communications Manager together with BlackBerry Enterprise Server are a powerful combination for unified communications,” said Laurent Philonenko, vice president and general manager, Cisco Unified Communications business unit.
“The integrated solution now enables IT professionals to manage mobile costs by extending corporate voice policy to their mobile devices, while offering BlackBerry users a rich set of familiar enterprise features through the same elegant, user interface of the BlackBerry Smartphone.”
BlackBerry MVS Server for Cisco® Unified Communications Manager will be available in North America in the third quarter of this year. It requires BlackBerry Enterprise Server 4.1.5 or later, Cisco® Unified Communications Manager 6.1 or later, and a BlackBerry MVS Client installed on BlackBerry smartphones running BlackBerry Device Software 4.5 or later.
RIM continues to offer BlackBerry MVS for a variety of telecommunications environments, including support for mixed TDM and IP PBX environments. For more information about BlackBerry MVS Server for Cisco Unified Communications Manager and other PBX systems, visit www.blackberry.com/go/mvs.